{Shadows In The Snow} |Monkie Kid AU| •Book 1•

•Chapter 17• {|Nap Of The Monkeys|}

Minutes, hours probably have passed and the two monkey's and the rest of the pack was still napping and resting from the emotional episode, embracing each other's warmth and comfort, especially Li Mei and Wukong. Wukong was still asleep, deep in slumber while Li was the same, snoring under her breath and a little bit of bags under her eyes from her being so tiresome, having the Monkey King in her arms under pillow and blanket. The room was quiet and peaceful, hopefully nothing will go off.

[Meanwhile]
"MONKEY KIIIING!!!" Shouted an anxious teen and his friend Mei, them looking around everywhere for the sage, "Hmmm..wait, where's Li Mei child..??" Asked Kenji, looking a bit concerned, MK then explained, "She went into the back room and never came back out! We haven't seen her since and neither Monkey King!" Kenji then felt curious to where the two might be and went into the halls down to the back room where MK explained where she went while the rest was looking for the two. "Oh cmon! Where did the two go?!! It's only been a couple of days and those two are ALREADY missing!!!" Shouted an angry pig as the monk searched for the two monkey's. "Cmon Pigsy, complaining isn't going to help...we searched all around the restaurant and yet they're still not found...what if..they were taken..?" Tang asked, looking a little worried. MK then jumped in with confidence, "No! That can't be right! Monkey King is able to beat ANYONE!!! Accept Buddha...but he is still a very strong person! He can protect himself and the people around him from anything!!!" Tang fixed his glasses and nodded in agreement, responding to the boy. "Hmmm...that's true, but he isn't as strong as how he used to be...ever since the retirement, We haven't seen him in years...he must've weakened overtime.." MK still had confidence in the Monkey King and defended his side of the argument. "W-Well..maybe he's still strong like old times! He just needs to get back in the spirit!" Then they heard Kenji respond to all of them from the back room in a whisper, "I believe I found them..." he said peeking out the back room looking at them from by the end of the halls. They all looked at each other, but went along with it and went to the room, peeking themselves inside, then shock hit them all as soon as they saw the sight before them against the wall on the floor. They saw Wukong and Li resting together, both wrapped in the blanket and sharing a pillow, the other monkey's around them and some huddled on them napping and purring. "Awwww!" Everyone whispered, they're eyes glittering up with awe as they watched the two monkey's cuddle and nap together, as if...they were family huddled in together, Li Mei then began to move and open her eyes from the sound and saw a glimpse of everyone at the door. "Augh!-" she screamed in shock but immediately covered her mouth from the scream fully escaping it, looking back at Wukong who was still sleeping in her arms under the blanket, facing them with his back and deep in slumber, she could feel the moving of his chest rise up and down and the deep quiet yet soft snores that followed, his head piece off completely and a seeing small twitch from his ear. She then looked back at the others, "Uhhh...Hi guys, look, I know this an adorable sight to see, but I REALLY don't want to wake Monkey King and these monkey's from they're nap, who knows what they'll do if I did..." she whispered smiling nervously and a blush rising on her cheeks from the embarrassment, "Aw, it's ok my granddaughter, I see that you are a master in one thing and that is calming the Monkey King himself and helping him with his past and self guilt..." whispered Kenji, everyone looking at him in confusion and surprise from him knowing of what had happened when she was in the room. "I heard crying and lots of sobbing in here from the main dining room in the restaurant, I peeked in while they was trying to calm each other and smiled in awe to the adorable display, what a touching moment for the two.." he told everyone, "Oooooooooh.." they said, understanding and still watching in awe to the two monkey's sitting together. "Well isn't that just darn cute, I haven't seen this much cuteness except for when MK first came here, the little boy was tiny! Made my heart melt!" said Pigsy as he crossed his arms and everyone agreeing with him, making MK whine and pout from embarrassment. "Awww..it's ok Kid, I was in awe too when I first met you too, I've been watching over you since you was a child, hehehehe..sure melted my heart to the core..." said a tired and muttered voice from a familiar monkey, everyone flinching and looking shocked from hearing it and slowly looking to where it came from, aiming they're eyes slowly on Wukong who was still back facing them and seeming to be asleep, Li looking shocked as well, looking down at Wukong, then saw one of his eyes opening and a mischievous smirk growing on his face and him looking at Li from the corner of his eye "Hi..." he said to the girl, "AHH-" Li screamed, but quickly covered her mouth again and whispered, "You was awake the ENTIRE time?!" She asked nervously as she still looked shocked at the sage, he chuckled and gently sat himself up, shaking his head fiercely and ruffling his hair, it looking messy and unkept as he blew a small streak of hair from in front of his face. "Yeah, I listened in...it was hilarious, but yeah...I was in on you guys coming in and seeing us..not to mention these little troublemakers.." Wukong continued as he looked at the rest of the monkey's that were still asleep around the two. Kenji also chuckled, "Ah yes, I sensed that you was awake Sun Wukong, just like back in the old stories of you and war of the Jade Palace and you being the mischief maker you was, all the way up until....your imprisonment..." Kenji cringed as he spoke, looking to the side and sweating a bit. Wukong then looking grumpy and unamused at the old monkey, snarling. "Yeah, Yeah Kenji...but that was the PAST! Waaaay back before I met you!" He said a bit loudly while sounding a bit sassy from the old monkey's bit of the conversation, but Kenji only snickered and so did Pigsy, him shaking from trying not to laugh, Li laughed a little too, until Wukong turned his face to her, immediately her going silent and looking to the side to avoid eye contact, her looking even more nervous feeling the angry gaze of Wukong looking at her.

It was silent until she heard a small chuckle from the Monkey King and looked, seeing him begin to snicker and wheeze as he laughed, him smiling with joy instead of anger, making her blush from how adorable he sounded and soon began to join him, the others joining in too, laughing at the top of they're lungs and trying not to be too loud, MK then carefully went to them past all the sleeping monkey's and hugging to the two by surprise. "I'm so glad to see you two getting along! This is going to be awesome!!! I can't wait to start training and become warrior like you Monkey King!" Shouted the happy teenager, everyone looking even MORE in awe from the cute display, Li and Wukong looking shocked at first, but then looking at each other with smiles and hugged back the boy, Wukong felt a small sense of happiness from inside him, him smiling even more and hugging the boy, ruffling his hair as he had him in a gentle headlock. "Ah c'mere you!" Wukong said proudly as MK laughed and smiled. "Awwww, don't be too rough with him Monkey King..." Li said as she gently pinched the boy's cheeks, earning a small giggle from him as he rubbed his cheek from the pinch. Wukong looked at Li Mei, seeing her smiling and having fun with the kid was adorable, and seeing her act like such a mother to the monkey's and even to MK himself made him admire her even more, a bright red blush appearing on his face as he held his cheek in his hand staring at her. "OoOoOoOo!!! Wukong's in LOOVE-" shouted Pigsy, him wheezing and laughing as he held his belly. Wukong then interrupted him before he could finish, his face blazing red from embarrassment and anger, "Oh SHUT it Pigsy!!!" He screamed, making everyone flinch, until he heard the sounds of the monkey's moving around and saw one of them waking up. "O-Oh..sorry little guy, go back to sleep, I never meant to-" but cut himself off when he saw a hand gently pet the monkey, and it purring and falling back into slumber. He flinched and then looked to Li who was petting it, the warm and gently smile on her face made him blush more and smile a little as well. "You know...your so well known with calming people..." he said, giving her a look of admiration. "Well, I always tried to show empathy when trying to help others with they're problems..even to help them face those problems themselves..." she replied. He then scooted a little closer, looking to the side but kept talking with her. "Yeah..well, you surely have helped me with mine.." he said looking at her while smiling gently, he heard her giggle, she then replied. "Well..I'm willing to help as much people as I can...I try my best.." she said softly as she looked at him a bit from the corner of her eyes. Wukong then put his hand on her cheek and turned her face to look at him. "Well Li Mei...you try your best..and that's good enough for me..for anyone..you got a special and sweet heart..it makes me think.."She's a wonderful woman.." I admire you...you even helped me when I cried my eyes out because of what happened to me in the past...and in the end, I was able to smile again..because of you." He said in a calm and loving tone to her, he felt her cheeks heat up and saw a small blush on her face, the look of shock and surprise on her face, but then she giggled and put his hand down, holding it with hers. "T-Thank you...Wukong..that was very touching for you to say.." she said as she looked away trying not to be seen blushing and being flustered from the sweet speech he just gave her. "No problem..Li.." he chuckled as he got up, grabbing his head piece and beginning to fix his hair back up, whistling being heard from him as he gently stepped past the sea of sleeping monkeys that was around him. Li got up as well, gently helping MK and herself over the monkey's that slept and following Wukong, everyone then began to leave the room but then Li felt a small tug on her tail, making her flinch, then she saw that it was one of the monkey's, the smallest monkey there was. It looked pleading and hugged her leg, she watched in awe and pet the monkey but then saw the rest craving the attention she was giving the little one, looking pleading as well. Li sighed but smiled and went to them and pet them, giving them the attention and giggling while doing so, the monkey's loving having her around them and soon went back to sleep, huddling next to her. She smiled but then yawned, still feeling tired and began to sit down on the floor, blanket and pillow in hand and decided to sleep for just a little while longer. And sooner or later, she fell back into dreamland and the small family of monkey's in her arms as she slept.

Wukong was a small butterfly on the wall and watched the monkey's and Li sleep, smiling and adoring the cute moment, he then went back to Li and rested on her hand, soon joining her and staying by her side.

"Goodnight sleepyhead..." he muttered as he too, fell to sleep.

[End of Chapter]